Clothes-line support.



l PATENTED MAY 15, L96. F. MUMANUS.

CLOTHES LINE SUPPORT. APPLIGATION lFILED MAY 12, 1905.

/NVENTOR YX M 5X Y A TTUHN uw r EES.. n

Neasden.

.Pasadas le .1906s To all whom it. may'concerm, 3

, Be it known that I, FRANK McMANUs; a

citizen of th'eiUnited States, residin vin,South Norfolk, `inthe countyof 4Norfol in the State ofgltirginia, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Clothes-Line Supports, of' which the following isa specificat1on.` I

I provide for convgniently arran ing the clothes on the` line while theline is IOW and v for raising the whole after the clothes have been:properly hung. `The lines maybe lowered afrain before taking off theclothes.

IwlIl' shew and describethe device as car ried out, with many returns ofa single line back and forward and as having such returns extendedbetween two of my supports;`

but the invention may be used with a less number of returns andeveniwith one end of lzo each stretch` or return held stationary and oneendfonly of the series raised and lowered. The following is adescription of what I consider the best means for' carrying out the invelrlition. Y

T e accompanyin ofthis specification. g

lFigurel is aplan view showing the invention 1n condition for use. Thereare in this figure two of rnysupports arranged to face each other withan Vordinary clothes-line stretched back and forward between them. Theremaining. figures are on a larger scale. Fi 2 is acentralverticalsection on a line 2 2 in ig.. 3 with the eXtreme upperportion inelevation. Fig. 3 is mainly an elevation at right angles to the view inFig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section of'a portion corresponding to Fig. 2, butshowing a modification. Fig 5 is a plan view of the U-sliapedyokedetached; and Fig. 6 is a central vertical section of the base portion,showing a modification.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all'thefigures Where they appear. Y

`A is an drawings form part upright tube. It may beinade of variousmaterials, includingwood, but I will describe it as galvanized iron. Ais a foot tapered or otherwise stron ly fixed thereon. AfA3 are strapscast or ot erwise set in the foot and arranged in four sets extendingradially to allow the horizontal bars A4 of wood or other suitablematerial to be inserted and removed at will. A5 represents pins 1nsertedthrough holes in the straps A3, engagin'g in correspondin holes in thebarsA1 to secure the arms an release them at will and or otherwiseputting the support out of the` way. The other tube A is similar andisheld y at the requlred distance' iny a reversed posi-vtion. i

Near the top 'of the hollow post A is a U- I shaped bracket B, securedby screws C C,` which screws also perform another important function,`as will later on appear. Onthe two arms oftle bracket Bfis mounted ashaft D, on which is secured an operating-crank D and a spur gear-wheelD?. ranged with the gear-wheel revolving in a slot inthe ost A andacting upon an upright piece loose y inclosed by and vertically slidingin said post, which I will for brevity designate as the pole M. It isequipped with a, series of teeth constituting a rack M', eX- tending upand down on one side, arranged to be engaged by the teeth of the wheelThis shaft is ar- Y The pole is raised and lowered thereby and isprevented from turning horizontally by receiving the inner ends ofthescrews C and also a small wheel P in a longitudinal groove m, extendingthe main portion of the length. The groove terminates suliiciently abovethe bottom to provide a stop, so that the slide M can never be entirelydrawn out and lost.'

P is an antifrictionwh`eelv mounted on a` pivot on the upper portionofthe tube A. It

runs in the groove .m and performs two functions-one to contribute toresist any tendency of the upright pole to be revolved and another toreduce-friction under the severe pull to which it is subjected on beingraisedV or lowered when the lines are loaded with clothes. Y l

M2 is a transverse bar supported in the head carried on-the upper endofthe pole M.

In the use of the invention two of my supports will usually be employed,and I will describe them as set a proper distance `apart and with theirtransverse bars M2 approximately parallel.

W 1s a clothes-line .tied or secured to one end of a transverse bar andextending across the space-to the corresponding bar of the oppositelsupport, Where 'it passes partial around two of the fastenings M4, andthence back again, engaging two of the corresponding fastenings on ytends backward and forward until the Whole is made available, securingthe terminal end in any ordinaryed or suitable;- manner. To o erate, ifthe poles are not already down }he cranks are4 turned -to lower the thefirst bar, and thus expoles and their attachments, and the clothes areTGIIIOVG are applied and secured by clothes-pins in the ordinary manner,taking care to first fill the inner stretches ofthe line and afterwardthe outer. Y f

A fter the clothes are in place the cranks D are turned to raise eachpole. There will usually be only one operator, and the cranks ma beturned one at a time.

he line W and its several stretches of the depending clothes (not/shown)will for a brief period be in an inclinedposition; but when thecross-bars and their attachments are'up to the proper level the arts maybe secured by fastening the gear-W eel D2, and the whole will be inposition for successful exposure of the clothing to the circulation ofthe air, and the drying will proceed in the ordinary Inanner.

To take off the clothes, the operation is reversed, the cranks beingcaused or'allowed to turn in the (proper direction, and the clothesfirst from theouter and afterward from the inner stretches of the line.The parts may be made light and graceful from metal either natural orvariously surfaced. The cheaper forms of the invention may be made ofhard Wood.

Fig. 3 shows a lock-bar E extending across engaging with the ear-wheelDz and also in corresponding note esb, formedin yoke B. When the ole andits attachments have been fullyraised), this loose lock-barEis droppedin place and locks the parts, so long as 1t is yalowed to remain.

Modications may be made Without departing from the principle orsacrificing the advantages of the invention. The supports are ada ted tostand on the ground or on va fiat roo of a building Without any specialcon. struction, but there may be cases where it is practicable topermanently set posts of small diameter in t e yard or on a roof and tomount. the supports thereon by sim ly re ceiving such a p'ermanentlysetpost o metal 0r hard wood in the hollow interior of the formaccurately-spaced holes are drilled. A

lhold the inclosed parts Wheel should be cylindrical. They may be madeby setting short ins in radial holes in an otherwise smooth w eel. Inthis form of the invention I also lshow a similar series of holes in theopposite side of the pole and mount there another Wheel with pins forteeth engaging in those holes. This construction allows Wheels to serveusefully in holding the pole and itsload against any twisting motion. L

In Fig. 4, M* is the pole and M* the series of holes which correspond tothe teeth M of the other form, the series of'holes m* corresponding tothe groove in the other form.

I claim as my 1nvention y 1. Two upright tubular posts and means forsupportin them, a pole movable up and down int e interior of each postcarrying a cross-bar on the pro'ecting upper end, fasteningslon eachcrossar for a clothes-line arran ed to hold such line in substantiallyparalle stretches between them, yokes B carry.l

ing shafts 'D with cranks D', and screws C adapted to perform thefunctions ofholding and liberatingmthe yoke, and pole against combinedsubstan\tially as herein specified.

2. Two upright tubular posts A, a roller P near the top of eachperforming the two functions 4of relieving from friction 'and aiding toainst being turned horizontall a pole mova le endwise in each post,carrying a cross-bar at its u avingalongitudinal groove, an `rtherprovisions carried in'the structure for engaging in such groove andinsurino' against horizontal revolving motion, and` provisions by lashaft, gear-wheel and crank, for raising and lowering each bar auditsattachments, all combined and arranged to serve, substantially as hereinspecified.

Signed at South Norfolk, in the county of lNorfolk and State ofVirginia, this 15th day arding theV ing turned horizontally, aller endand

